Container having multi-ply bottom and upright walls

ABSTRACT

A container or box made of two integral blanks of flexible material is formed with panels hingedly connected together, which provide walls all of multi-ply thickness with each wall of one pair of opposite walls comprising spaced apart plies forming an air space therebetween. The bottom wall is of at least three ply thickness to provide strength and cushioning. Anchor flaps hingedly connected to at least some of the panels of each blank secure the container into a substantially rigid structure. Stitching in the form of staples secure various of the anchoring flaps and wall plies together.

United States Patent Schilling 1 .June 13, 1972 [54] CONTAINER HAVINGMULTI-PLY 2,778,560 1/1957 Pfeiffer ..229/23 AB X BOTTOM AND UPRIGHTWALLS 2,791,365 5/1957 Cohen.... ..229/23 R 3,335,934 8/1967 Davis..229/23 R [72] Inventor: Paul Schilling, Bogalusa, La.v

3 A C b h Co rafion San Fran Primary ExaminerDavis MOOI' head [7 ssigneeci s'gg canf m Attorney-Stanley Bialos, Corwin R. Horton and Thomas R.

Lampe [22] Filed: April 13, 1971 v 21 Appl. No.2 133,614 [57] ABSTRACT Acontainer or box made of two integral blanks of flexible material isformed with panelshingedly connected together, 8|. 0A0 which providewalls a of mulmply thickness with each wall of one p of opposite wallscomprising spaced apart plies form [58] Field of Search ..229/[6 R, 23R, 23 A, 23 AB g an air Space merebetween. The bottom wall is oflalleast three ply thickness to provide strength and cushioning; [56]References Cited Anchor flaps hingedly connected to at least some of thepanels UNITED STATES PATENTS of each blank secure the container into asubstantially rigid structure. Stitching in the form of staples securevarious of the 1,906,622 5/1933 Komdolf ..229/23 A anchoring fl and Wallplies togcthen 2,362,520 11/1944 Zalkind ..239/16 R X 2,735,607 2/1956Wasyluka ..229/23 A UX 7 Claim, 9 Drawing Figures PAIENTEIJJun 13 19123,669,339

sum 1 BF 2 INVENTOR PAUL SCHILLING BY= M w. MW

W MM ATTORNEYS INVENTOR= SHEET 2 BF 2 PAUL SCHILLING V HP'ATEIITHIJIIII13 m2 CONTAINER HAVING MULTI-PLY BOTTOM AND UPRIGHT WALLS This inventionrelates to containers made of flexible material, advantageously solidfiber paperboard, and which are formed from blanks of such paperboardproviding a multi-ply wall thickness throughout the entire container.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS Summarizing the invention, an improved box orcontainer is made of two blanks of flexible material, advantageouslysolid paperboard. The blanks are suitably scored along hinge connectionlines to form a series of hingedly connected panels which when theblanks are nested together provide pairs of opposite multi-ply walls.The panels of a first one of the blanks are so connected as to form apair of opposite walls in which the plies are spaced apart to provide astacking and supporting ledge; and also such blank has end panels whichform an inner ply of a substantially three ply bottom wall.

A second blank is also formed of hingedly connected panels which providea second pair of opposite multi-ply walls; and anchoring flaps areprovided on at least some of the panels of both blanks for enabling thebox to be secured into a relatively rigid structure by means ofstitching, advantageously staples.

The invention has as its objects, among others, the provision of animproved container or box of flexible material, advantageouslypaperboard, for the transportation and storage of various types ofobjects, such as glass beverage bottles, which is of simple andeconomical but yet strong construction, and which can be easilyassembled from two integral or single blanks of material. Other objectsof the invention will become apparent from the following detaileddescription and accompanying drawings, in which:

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES FIG. I is an isometric view of the set-upcontainer;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of one of the blanks from which the container isformed, the view being on a reduced scale;

FIG. 3 is a similar plan view of a second blank, from which thecontainer is formed when nested with the blank of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the container;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view looking in the direction of arrow SinFIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary corner section taken in a planeindicated by line 6--6 in FIG. 7 and also in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged vertical section taken in a plane indicated byline 7-7 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged vertical section taken in a plane indicated byline 88 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a horizontal section taken in a plane indicated by line 9-9 inFIG. 7, and also in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The container or box hereof is advantageouslyformed of solid fiber paperboard although insofar as its principle ofconstruction is concerned, any other flexible sheet material that can besuitably scored to form hinge connection lines, may be used. The solidfiber paperboard is preferably of about 0.090 caliper thickness, but anyother suitable thickness may be utilized. It is primarily intended foruse as a substitute for wood boxes that are commonly employed in thepackaging of beverages contained in glass bottles, but it may be usedfor any other purpose.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3 in which the parts are drawnsubstantially to scale, the container is formed of two integral orsingle blanks of material. A first blank comprises a central panel 2which forms a full bottom intermediate ply of the set-up containerillustrated in FIG. 1. The blank is suitably scored by transverselyextending score lines 3, which because of the character of the materialare conventional double score lines, to provide a series of panelsconnected to each of the opposite ends of central panel 2. Such panelsat each end of panel 2 comprise in the order named, an outer wall ply 4of a first pair of opposite walls which in the container illustrated maybe called end walls, a connecting portion 6, an inner-wall ply 7 of suchwall and a partial bottom inner ply 8.

Each connecting portion 6 is in the form of a flat panel which when thecontainer is set-up, separates an inner wall ply 7 from an outer wallply 4 to provide a stacking ledge, and enhance strength. Also, panel 6in separating such inner and outer wall plies 7 and 4, respectively,provides an air space therebetween.

Extending along each side of central panel 2 is an anchoring flap 9which is hingedly connected to the panel along a score line 11, andwhich is employed for securing container parts rigidly together in amanner to be described. Likewise, an anchoring flap 12 is hingedlyconnected along a score line 13 to each side of inner wall ply panel 7.The score lines 11 an 13 are also double score lines.

FIG. 2 illustrates a second blank which forms the completed containerwhen the blank of FIG. 3 is nested therein. Such second blank comprisesa central panel 14 which forms a full bottom outer ply of the containeron which full bottom intermediate ply 2 of the blank of FIG. 3 engages.A pair of hingedly connected panels is connected at each side of centralpanel 14, including a panel 16 hingedly connected to panel 14 alongdouble score line 17, and which forms an outer wall ply of a second pairof opposite walls which in the embodiment illustrated are sidewalls.Hingedly connected along double score line 18 is a panel 19 which formsan inner wall ply of a sidewall. Anchoring flaps 21 are hingedlyconnected along each end of central panel 14; and anchoring flaps 22 arealso hingedly connected along each end of outer wall ply panel 16.

In the container set-up from the described blanks, the central panel 2of the blank of FIG. 3 is positioned over the central panel 14 of theblank of FIG. 2, and the various panels and anchoring flaps are turnedat a right angle to their hinge connected lines, to form the pairs ofopposite walls all of multi-ply thickness which are secured together bymeans of stitching, such as staples 23 as is illustrated. in thisconnection, each anchoring flap 9 of full bottom intermediate ply 2 isositioned between the inner and outer plies 19 and 16, respectively, ofa sidewall and are stapled to such inner and outer plies. Anchoring flap12 is also secured by staples 23 between the inner and outer plies 19and 16, respectively, of a sidewall.

An anchoring flap 21 is turned to overlie the outer ply 4 of each endwall, and is stapled thereto. The respective anchoring flaps 22 on theouter plies 16 of the side walls are turned around the upright comers ofthe outer plies 4 of the end walls and stapled thereto. It will be notedthat each flap 22 overlaps a flap 21, thus providing at least three-plythickness at the lower part of each corner to enhance strength; andbecause each flap 22 overlaps a flap 21, there are no raw edges exposeddirectly at a corner. This enhances strength as the edges of each flap22 are spaced inwardly from a comer. Although the described anchoringflap arrangement is advantageous for maximum strength, the number ofanchoring flaps could be less, but it is necessary that at least some ofthe panels be provided with anchoring flaps.

Each outer wall ply 4 is slit to provide a flap 24 hingedly connectedalong one edge to the panel 4, to provide a hand hold hole 26 as shownin FIGS. 1 and 7; the flap being upturned and stapled to the inner faceof such outer wall ply 4.

A triple ply bottom is formed by virtue of full bottom outer ply 14,full bottom intermediate ply 2, and the partial bottom ply panels 8.Panels 8 are approximately half the length of the bottom and theiropposed edges are substantially in abutment along line 27, as indicatedin FIGS. 1 and 4. All the plies of the bottom are stapled together thusproviding a strong bottom. In this connection, although the panels 8 areeach approximately half the length of the bottom wall to abut along acenter line, one may be made longer and the other shorter if so desired.The triple ply bottom provides cushioning to prevent breakage offrangible material, such as glass containers for which the containerhereof is adapted, in addition to strength. If further cushioning isdesired, another ply may be added as a separate sheet, but the at leasttriple-ply bottom has been found entirely suitable for the purposesdescribed.

The flat ledge panels 6 are desirable because they facilitate stacking.Also, theyenable the container to be handled in packaging the same withproduct, in the same manner as wood crates heretofor employed. This isso because these crates have their opposite end walls of thicker boardthan the sidewalls, which is comparable to the thickness of the endwalls of the instant containers.

It will be noted that the panels are of such dimensions that thesidewalls andend walls are of substantially. the same height. Desirably,thehinge connected lines 18 are such as to provide a narrow flat ledge28 as illustrated in FIGS.v 1 and 8; and preferably a metal reinforcingrim 29 is held between the plies along the entire upper edges of thecontainer; the rim having outwardly extending corners 31 which engagethe upper edges of outer ply 16 at the corners thereof.

The container may be of any suitable size desired. In the embodiment ofthe invention illustrated, it has an overall outside length of about l7inches, an overall inside length of about inches; thus each stackingledge 6 has a width of about 1 /4 inch. The overall outside width isabout 11 inches, while the overall inside width is about 11 inches, sothat flat side ledges 28 are about three-sixteenths inch in width. Theheight of the walls is about 6 V2 inches.

I claim:

1. A container comprising a multi-ply bottom wall; a first pair ofupright opposite multi-ply walls connected to said bottom wall; a secondpair of upright opposite multi-ply walls connected to said bottom wall;said first pair of walls being part of a first blank of flexiblematerial having a plurality of panels integrally connected togetheralong hinge connection lines, a central one of such panels providing afull bottom intermediate ply of said bottom wall, and a series of panelsconnected to each of opposite ends of said central panel comprising inthe order named an outer wall ply, a connecting portion,

an inner wall ply connected to said connecting portion, and a partialbottom inner ply of said bottom wall overlying said fullbottomintermediate ply; said second pair of opposite walls also being part ofa second blank of flexible material having a plurality of panelsintegrally connected together along hinge 1 connection lines, a centralpanel of said second blank providing a full bottom outer ply of saidbottom wall, and panels connected to each of opposite sides of saidcentral panel of the second blank comprising in the order named an outerply of a wall of said second pair and an inner ply of such wall;anchoring flaps hingedly connected to at least some of the panels ofeach blank; and means securing said anchoring flaps and wall plystogether.

2. The container of claim I wherein each of said connecting portionsbetween said outer and inner'wali plies of said first blank is a panelwhich provides a flat stacking ledge at the top of each of said firstpair of walls and spaces apart the plies of each of said walls to forman air space therebetween, and the partial bottom inner plies of saidfirst blank which overlies said full bottom intermediate ply are insubstantial abutment to provide at least a triple ply bottom wall.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein said anchoring flaps include a flapat each side of each of the inner wall plies of said first blank securedbetween an inner and outer ply of a wall of said second pair of walls, aflap at each side of the full bottom panel of said first blank alsosecured between inner and outer plies of a wall of said second pair ofwalls, a flap at each end of said full bottom outer ply of said secondblank secured to an outer ply of a wall of said first pair, and a flapat each end of each outer wall ply of said second blank secured to anouter ply of a wall of a first pair adjacent an upright corner thereof.

4. The container of claim 3 wherein the securing means are staples, andthe flap at each end of each outer wall ply of the second blank overlapsthe flap on said full bottom panel of said second blank at the lowerportion of an upright comer.

5. The container of claim 2 wherein staples are the securing means, andinclude staples securing together all the plies of said triple-plybottom wall.

6. A container comprising a multi-ply bottom wall; a first pair of uright opposite multi-ply walls connected to said bottom wal a secondpair of upright opposite multr-ply walls connected to said bottom wall;said first pair of walls being part of a first blank of flexiblematerial having a plurality of panels integrally connected togetheralong hinge connection lines, a central one of such panels providing afull bottom intermediate ply of said bottom wall, and a series of panelsconnected to each of opposite ends of said central panel comprising inthe order named an outer wall ply, a flat connecting panel providing atop stacking ledge, an inner wall ply connected to said stacking ledge,and a partial bottom inner ply of said bottom wall overlying said fullbottom intermediate ply; said second pair of opposite walls also beingpart of a second blank of flexible material having a plurality of panelsintegrally connected together along hinge connection lines, a centralpanel of said second blank providing a full bottom outer ply of saidbottom wall, and panels connected to each of opposite sides of saidcentral panel of the second blank comprising in the order named an outerply of a wall of said second pair and an inner ply of such wall; thepartial bottom inner plies of said first blank being in substantialabutment over the full bottom intermediate ply to provide at least atriple ply bottom wall, anchoring flaps hingedly connected to at leastsome of the panels of each blank; and means securing said anchoringflaps and wall plys together including staples securing all the bottomwall plies together.

7. The container of claim 6 wherein said anchoring flaps in clude a flapat each side of each of the inner wall plies of said first blank securedbetween an inner and outer ply of a wall of said second pair of walls, aflap at each side of the full bottom panel of said first blank alsosecured between inner and outer plies of a wall of said second pair ofwalls, a flap at each end of said full bottom outer ply of said secondblank secured to an outer ply of a wall of said first pair, and a flapat each end of each outer wall ply of said second blank secured to anouter ply of a wall of a first pair adjacent an upright corner thereof.

1. A container comprising a multi-ply bottom wall; a first pair ofupright opposite multi-ply walls connected to said bottom wall; a secondpair of upright opposite multi-ply walls connected to said bottom wall;said first pair of walls being part of a first blank of flexiblematerial having a plurality of panels integrally connected togetheralong hinge connection lines, a central one of such panels providing afull bottom intermediate ply of said bottom wall, and a series of panelsconnected to each of opposite ends of said central panel comprising inthe order named an outer wall ply, a connecting portion, an inner wallply connected to said connecting portion, and a partial bottom inner plyof said bottom wall overlying said full bottom intermediate ply; saidsecond pair of opposite walls also being part of a second blank offlexible material having a plurality of panels integrally connectedtogether along hinge connection lines, a central panel of said secondblank providing a full bottom outer ply of said bottom walL, and panelsconnected to each of opposite sides of said central panel of the secondblank comprising in the order named an outer ply of a wall of saidsecond pair and an inner ply of such wall; anchoring flaps hingedlyconnected to at least some of the panels of each blank; and meanssecuring said anchoring flaps and wall plys together.
 2. The containerof claim 1 wherein each of said connecting portions between said outerand inner wall plies of said first blank is a panel which provides aflat stacking ledge at the top of each of said first pair of walls andspaces apart the plies of each of said walls to form an air spacetherebetween, and the partial bottom inner plies of said first blankwhich overlies said full bottom intermediate ply are in substantialabutment to provide at least a triple ply bottom wall.
 3. The containerof claim 1 wherein said anchoring flaps include a flap at each side ofeach of the inner wall plies of said first blank secured between aninner and outer ply of a wall of said second pair of walls, a flap ateach side of the full bottom panel of said first blank also securedbetween inner and outer plies of a wall of said second pair of walls, aflap at each end of said full bottom outer ply of said second blanksecured to an outer ply of a wall of said first pair, and a flap at eachend of each outer wall ply of said second blank secured to an outer plyof a wall of a first pair adjacent an upright corner thereof.
 4. Thecontainer of claim 3 wherein the securing means are staples, and theflap at each end of each outer wall ply of the second blank overlaps theflap on said full bottom panel of said second blank at the lower portionof an upright corner.
 5. The container of claim 2 wherein staples arethe securing means, and include staples securing together all the pliesof said triple-ply bottom wall.
 6. A container comprising a multi-plybottom wall; a first pair of upright opposite multi-ply walls connectedto said bottom wall; a second pair of upright opposite multi-ply wallsconnected to said bottom wall; said first pair of walls being part of afirst blank of flexible material having a plurality of panels integrallyconnected together along hinge connection lines, a central one of suchpanels providing a full bottom intermediate ply of said bottom wall, anda series of panels connected to each of opposite ends of said centralpanel comprising in the order named an outer wall ply, a flat connectingpanel providing a top stacking ledge, an inner wall ply connected tosaid stacking ledge, and a partial bottom inner ply of said bottom walloverlying said full bottom intermediate ply; said second pair ofopposite walls also being part of a second blank of flexible materialhaving a plurality of panels integrally connected together along hingeconnection lines, a central panel of said second blank providing a fullbottom outer ply of said bottom wall, and panels connected to each ofopposite sides of said central panel of the second blank comprising inthe order named an outer ply of a wall of said second pair and an innerply of such wall; the partial bottom inner plies of said first blankbeing in substantial abutment over the full bottom intermediate ply toprovide at least a triple ply bottom wall, anchoring flaps hingedlyconnected to at least some of the panels of each blank; and meanssecuring said anchoring flaps and wall plys together including staplessecuring all the bottom wall plies together.
 7. The container of claim 6wherein said anchoring flaps include a flap at each side of each of theinner wall plies of said first blank secured between an inner and outerply of a wall of said second pair of walls, a flap at each side of thefull bottom panel of said first blank also secured between inner andouter plies of a wall of said second pair of walls, a flap at each endof said full bottom outer ply of said second blank secured to an outerply of a wall of said first pair, and a flap at each end of each outerwall ply of saiD second blank secured to an outer ply of a wall of afirst pair adjacent an upright corner thereof.